When you're abused, you will think it is your fault. That you have done something wrong. You haven't. The person who hits you is wrong. You just can't see it.
My friends brought me to the school nurse, who examined me. Riley stayed with me, the rest was of course not allowed.
When I had to put off my shirt, and revealed all the cuts and bruises. Also a very nasty bruise on my neck.
Riley burst into tears. "He tried to strangle you?"
"Oh, god, little girl', the nurse said. "Honey, did your boyfriend do this?"
I didn't answer. I don't know why. I think that's because I was to much in shock.
Not realizing how much my life was going to change.
That from now on I'm a victim. People were always going to see me as a victim.
I love Chris. I still do. I loved that he made me feel a special way, a way that nobody did.
And I'm not sure I was ever going to feel this way.
I'm not sure of anything right now.
She shined a light in my eyes. "Maya, can you hear me?', she screamed, but she sounded so far away. "Maya!?"
And suddenly I was pulled back by a voice. Not Riley's, not Farkle's, but Lucas'.
He was holding my head in his hand. "It's okay, Maya! You're okay. You're safe!"
Then he saw the marks in my neck. He said nothing, he stroked some hair out of my face and handed me my shirt.
"Okay, boys, out! Maya, I'm gonna call your mom and the police', the nurse said.
"No ', came out of my throat.
Riley, who's cheeks were all wet from tear, hugged me. "It's going to be alright, Peaches. We are here for you."
They called the police. They called my parents. And they all showed up. I had to show them all the bruises and marks.
My mom broke down. She blamed herself for not noticing. Shawn blamed himself for not seeing me, who I was the past months.
The police wanted to hear everything, but all I could do is show them. Mostly because my voice sucks right now.
But there was evidence enough. I went with them, to collect my stuff, and Shawn and Cory went with me.
He was at home, doing watching a game or something. When a police struck in, he got real mad.
"Maya, how could you done this to me!? I love you!', he yelled. "Maya!"
I watched the police grabbing Chris and putting him in handcuffs. "Goddammit, Maya, I will kill you!"
He tried to get to me. He was so strong that he shaked the police off and ran straight up to me. He wanted to put his arms around my neck again, to finish what he started. But lucky Shawn was there, and punched him so hard, that he fell on the ground and couldn't get up. The police grabbed him again.
Shawn told me to get my stuff, and when I was in the bedroom grabbing my clothes, I heard a lot of yelling, mostly from Shawn and Cory.
I sat down on the bed and cried. How could it go this way. Did I imagine us, forever together? I don't know. I think that if we stayed together, it could go terribly wrong.
For us, and for the baby I was carrying.